Once My Princess
by SweetTartAssassin
Summary: In her mind, he was the center of her attention.He was her light in the dark, the apple to her pie, the fire to her cracker. She loved him with all her heart. But this was a one–sided love. He loved a short, black haired girl. She was the reason he went through all the experiences he went through,and she only caused problems.She was nothing compared to Rukia. IchiHime
1. Chapter 1

**SweetTart:** Hello Guys! Welcome to Once My Princess! This is just a random think i thought about when I was watch InuYasha. I don't know if I'm going to continue it just yet, i wanna see how it does first and go from there!

Enjoy~

Disclaimer Bros: I don't own Bleach!

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In her mind, he was the center of her attention. She would drop everything if he wanted something. He was her light in the dark, the apple to her pie, the fire to her cracker. She loved him with all her heart. But this was a one –sided love. He loved a short, black haired girl. The one that jump started his life into it was now. She was the reason he went through all the experiences he went through, and she, she only caused problems. She was a nuisances to him and everyone. It was because she was weak, only useful for healing. She was nothing compared to her. She was nothing compared to Rukia. Rukia was strong and beautiful, she could defend him, and she could get him for a depressed state, while she would only get in the way. She was nothing.

Orihime Inoue stood leading on the door of her and her classmate Ichigo's classroom, nervous.

She was about to make a big decision today, she was going to tell the orange haired boy how she felt about him; she was going to tell him she loved him. She had planed it all out. Ichigo would walk past her while going to class; Orihime would stop him and ask him to talk, then when he said sure, she'd tell him and if he denied her she'd of course not cry in front of him, but she would go home in the middle of the day, just act as if it's a simple cold. The orange haired girl trilled her fingers as she waited, school was going to start soon and there was no sign of the tall orange haired teen. It wasn't till the first bell ring till she felt a small vibration in the pocket of her skirt. She pulled out the pink phone a flipped it open. On the screen there was a small yellow letter and under it was the name 'Ichigo'. She opened the message by pushing the 'OK' button. She read the message out loud.

"_Hey, I caught a cold; do you think you could drop your notes off when school's out? I'd really owe you one." _

Orihime smiled at the message and replied with _"Ya sure, get well Ichigo"_ She sent the message and stepped into the classroom.

Today she's be alone, seeing that Ichigo was sick, Uryū was out training, Chad was out on a trip, and Tatsuki was on a Karate Tournament. She looked around the room with a lonesome look before sitting in her spot. The bell rang and the remaining students still talking made their ways back to their spots. The Teacher took roll, not even questioning why the normal group of teens where gone and went on with her lesson, with Orihime paying attention once and while, before her daydreams made it into her mind, then her mind came across an area she didn't want to think of again. The evil brown eyes of the man that took her flashed into her mind, she could feel his gaze on her, she could remember his low voice that rolled off his lips when he spoke to her, she could remember his touch on her as well. The brown eyes of Aizen still lurked in her memory along with the dead forest green eyes and white skin of the one who took 'care' of her, then the blue, cat like, battle hungry eyes. They all haunted her every night in the form of nightmares, but those eyes never compared to the black and yellow eyes of the monster that kill the dead green eyes. That monster is always so clear in her head, the white skin and black hole on the chest, with red tattoo markers coming from it. The claws and talons, the red fur, the long orange hair, the bull shaped mask, that didn't bother her as much as the cold, blood hungry eyes, and that dark voice.

"_I-Will-Protect-You."_

"May I go to the bathroom?" Orihime stated raising her hand with her head down. The teacher looked at her with confused eyes.

"Sure, but hurry back." She said. Orihime bowed and walked out the door, holding back the puke that threatens to come out of her mouth. She ran to the nearest girls' bathroom, not even bothering to shut the stall before puking up white stomach fluids. She sat their on her knees hunched over the toilet bull for a few minutes trying to regain herself.

"Orihime?" A voice called, it was a familiar voice, one she hadn't heard since the war.

"R-Rukia?" She called back. She looked behind her too see said black haired purple eyed girl with a sad look passed on her pale face.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Peachy." She answered with a smile, in truth Orihime hadn't smiled in a long while. Even if the smiles were fake, if felt weird to do it. The orange haired girl got up and flushed the toilet having the jets noise echo loudly through out the empty bathroom.

"What bring you here?" Orihime asked. Rukia looked at her for a short while before answering.

"I came here to see how Ichigo was doing, but I can see he isn't at school, and if you're puking, you should not be here either." She said with the normal sternness her voice always had. Orihime gave a small laugh.

"No, I'm fine, just something didn't agree with me." She said trying to act as sweet as she used to. Rukia looked unsatisfied, but her harsh look on her face softens as a small smile made it to her lips. The girls were silent for a bit till Rukia broke the silence.

"Well, I'm going to check on Ichigo, don't push yourself okay." Rukia warned. Orihime nodded with a fake joyful face.

"Yes Ma'am"

With that the black haired teen flash-stepped away leaving the orange haired girl alone in the empty bathroom.

"Going to check on Ichigo." She repeated with a hint of sadness in her soft voice. She couldn't hold her head up anymore, so she walked into her class room with her head down, getting worried looks from the class.

When school was over, and the sun began to go down making the sky dance with orange and red colors, Orihime walked over to Ichigo's house alone, her notes firmly in her hands. When she neared his house her heart began to beat faster and faster. Once near the house she was about to go through the gate when she heard a female's voice shout from Ichigo's open window. Orihime couldn't help but turn her head up to the window, which had its currents pulled back. But once she looked up she wished she didn't. Ichigo and their black haired friend Rukia where in a tight embrace, one that was only shared by couples. Orihime felt her heart break into dust, she dropped her notes and ran off down the street not wanted to see anymore. Tears flowed like waterfalls down the girls face and into the air behind her as she raced off toward her own apartment.

Once reaching her door she flung it open and slammed it shut sliding down the door. She felt so numb, she could feel or head or even see anything, it was all blurry. She knew that she and Ichigo was a long shot, but she still had a little hope because, Ichigo was the only reason why her life was as happy as it was. His smile was everything to her, his pain was her pain, and she would try her all to even make Ichigo the least bit proud of her, but her efforts were all for nothing. Though she didn't have much evidence that Ichigo and Rukia where together but she didn't need evidence, not with everything they have been through together. "Look at me, crying over a guy that never even thought of me as anything but a burden. I wish he wouldn't have come to save me from Hueco Mundo. I wish he just let me die, it would be much better than this pain." She said through her tears and sobs. She curled up into a ball placing her head in her knees. She drew herself back into her memories in Hueco Mundo, and how pretty the moon looked on the gray sands and dead trees. She remembers the useful feeling she had as a captive of Aizen. She missed that feeling.

"Maybe I should go back." She said as if talking to someone. She lifted her head. "Ya I could go back, no one would notice." She said with a hint of laughter. "Ichigo doesn't need me, neither do Uryū and Chad. They don't need me, but Lord Aizen does." She said standing up from the door, her gray eyes hazed and puffy from the tears. She would return to Hueco Mundo, she'd return to Lord Aizen and she would serve him like she used too. She didn't know how long she was sitting there cry, to her it felt like a few minutes but her legs were asleep and she could barely see out of her eyes. But now that she knew what she had to do she wobbled to her handle of the door and turned it and walked out as it clicked open. She didn't even notice that the moon and stars were out and shining down at the cold street. She just walks with a crazed smile on her face. She walked passed a familiar part of town and soon Ichigo's house came to view. Though she didn't give it any notice as she just walk on passed it.

She walked through out the town till she could feel the presences of a hollow coming, she ran in its direction. A large Garganta filled the space as a hollow roared through, but before the tunnel was able to close, the orange haired girl jumped through it, using what little she could of her Reiatsu to make a, some-what stable path to get to the desert like land that awaited her. She didn't think about what she was doing, she didn't even think about how she was going to get to the world, her body she acted for her, her mind just shut down. She body was controlling her every acting taking her to the gray sand, and moon lit sky of the hollows.

Once she saw light from the end of the endless darkness, she knew that she was never going back. And she was okay with that idea.

Ichigo woke up in the middle of the night with panic in her brown eyes; he shot up from his bed and looked around.

"Orihime…" He paused, closing his eyes to sense the young girl's presents, but nothing came up. He snapped his eyes open. There was a hollow only a few minutes ago, but it was taken care of by Rukia and she didn't say anything about Orihime being there when she returned to his closet. Panic began to fill his body along with worry. Rukia did say she say Orihime looked thinner and sicker when she saw her in the bathroom, and she didn't come by to drop off her notes. He got up from his bed and opened his closet to see the black haired girl sleeping soundly.

"Rukia!" Ichigo said shaking her. The girl woke up and gave Ichigo an irrigated look.

"Ichigo, it's 3 in the morning, what do you want!" She snapped.

"I can't sense Orihime's Spiritual Pressure." He stated with worry. Rukia rolled her eyes.

"You're just not looking hard enough." She said as she closed her eyes to search for the females presences in the world. But like Ichigo it wasn't to be found.

"Oh no!" Rukia exclaimed jumping from her bed and inserting her Soul candy, and popped out of her body. "I'm going to go check on her." Rukia said before leaping from Ichigo's window and out into the night, leaving Ichigo in his room to ponder to where his princess went.

"Where did you go? And why did if have to be today of all days." Ichigo sighed.

When morning came, Rukia gave Ichigo a sad look.

"Orihime was not at her apartment and I called Uryū and Chad to see if they have talked to her or have seen her, but nothing.

"But she couldn't have just disappeared off the face of the earth." Ichigo argued. Rukia gave him a sad look; she knew that yesterday he stayed home so he could think about how he was going to confess to the orange hair girl, but his plan never work. And now Orihime was missing. But then something clicked in her mind, this familiar feeling.

"I know where she is!" Rukia exclaimed catching Ichigo's attention. "But why would she go back?" Rukia thought quietly. There was a slinece between the two, making Ichigo irritated.

"Well where is she!" Ichigo yelled growing inpatient. Rukia gave Ichigo a dramatic look locking her purple eyes with his brown eyes.

"Hueco Mundo"

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**SweetTart:** Well, what'cha think? Should i continue? Review if you want me to continue!


	2. Chapter 2

**SweetTart**: Hey and welcome back to Once my Princess! I got so many Reviews to continue so I'm like 'What the Hell'. So here ya go. Warning I do plan on making time go faster in between Orihime and Ichigo because I don't want this to be too long to the point where I don't want to write it anymore, so this will be like 4, 5 maybe 6 chapters long, if everything goes to plan, but enjoy anyway~ ^^

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It was so dark, only with the moon as her guide, the orange haired girl walked in the desert with hazed eyes, heading to the large stone ruins of Las Noches. The fortress could be seen from miles and miles away, but no distance was far enough to rid her friends of her life. She never wanted to go back, for this was her home. This was the one place she felt useful and this place she would reside till a strong hollow was to kill her or she died on her own.

She was alone, and all the feeling of pain she once had, started numbing the closer she got to her palace. She couldn't feel a thing in her heart. In the mist of the sand and silence, Orihime began to laugh. She laughed a laugh the made the tree cringe, it was dark and insane, contrary to Orihime's sweet, innocent giggle she once had.

"I'm home Lord Aizen!" She laughed as she drew closer and closer to the fortress. With her laughing she didn't even notice the dark shadow crawling over her. It wasn't till the shadow's owner screeched at the girl. Orihime turned around to met with the mask of a small hollow. It body was more like a lioness and the mask was pure white with no mouth or nose and two dark narrow eye socks with dark red lines going over them, they ended with a sharp point and three small dots after the point. The hollow growled at her.

"Human…" It started "I haven't had human in a long while, and you look delectable." It purred before leaping to attack Orihime. Orihime's smile never felt her face, her eyes showed no fear, but entertainment. She began to laugh.

"Koten Zanshun…" She laughed, sending the unused sprite at the Hollow.

"What, what it that human!" The hollow yelled as the sprite circled around it.

"Bad kitty, you need to be punished. Your mask looks pretty, why don't we just take it off, quick and easy like a band-aid. Tsubaki, rip the pretty little mask off." She laughed. Tsubaki didn't argue, and flashed at the hollow with amazing speed and sliced the mask right off the face of the hollow, making it scream out in pain."  
"Damn you… human!" It yelled before Orihime kick it in it's now mask less bloody face.

"Sleep, kitty." She laughed as she picked up the mask with a gentle smile.

"So, pretty, I think I'll keep this." She laughed looked back as the corpse of the dead hollow. "Good night kitty, sleep well."

She continued her walk toward the fortress with the mask in her hand; she couldn't pry her eyes off the mask. She would need to fit in as a hollow if she wished to live here. So while she walked she looked for something she could used to tie the hollow's mask to her face.

When 'morning' came she was still walking, without sleep. Almost there. She was so close to the fortress she could taste it. She could touch the walls soon and then she could start her new life. Without Ichigo, or Rukia, or anyone, just her.

"Just me, me and the sand. Orihime and the sand." She said to herself as her vision began to fade into the black.

"Hush now little one, I'm her. Ori will make the heartache all go away, just sleep."

* * *

Ichigo pasted in his room waiting for Rukia's return. Three weeks ago Orihime was officially missing. Rukia suggested that she went to Hueco Mundo, nut Ichigo couldn't believe that. She had practically just returned from it, like 4 months ago. While the Soul Society was in under chaos at what happened, Rukia had to go back, but she promised him she would return with information about the situation in Hueco Mundo.

"Dammit all!" Ichigo yelled slamming his head on his pillow, but had his eyes looking at the pink spiel notebook that sat on his desk. Rukia found it outside his house's gate. It was Orihime's, she had come to give him her notes but something happened. Why did she drop it? What happened to her to make her leave the notes at the gate? Orihime wasn't that shy, to just leave something at someone's gate, and even if she was she would at least make it to the door and ring the door bell before running off, but…

"Damn!" Ichigo punched his pillow. Why was it always her? Why did people target Orihime? She could defend herself don't get him wrong, but he felt so much better when he was protecting her, fighting for her. It helped in get through the days after the war knowing that she was safe, even when Ichigo himself, with the little power he had left, could barely protect himself. She was still safe. Now, he didn't know what to do. He didn't know who kidnapped her, what they wanted with her, what they'd do to her. She didn't leave a note, didn't say goodbye, she just left.

"Where did you go Orihime?" He asked, expecting to get an answer from the walls. It was silent for a few minutes until he felt a familiar presence.

"Hey Ichigo~"

Ichigo looked to see a familiar long orange haired soul reaper.

"Rangiku!"

"Hey~" She smiled.

"W-what are you doing here?"

"Well, Rukia told me that Miss Orihime has gone missing, once I heard that I marched my way straight here." She huffed. He could tell she was worried, seeing that Orihime was like her sister.

"Do you have any idea to where she might have gone?" She asked, more serious. Ichigo could see the pain in her clear blue eyes. She lost Gin in the war; she didn't want to lose Orihime too.

"Rukia thinks she went to Hueco Mundo." Ichigo said.

"I see, do you know why?"

"Haven't the slightest idea." There was a pause of silence between the two.

"Do you even care?" She asked. Ichigo's eyes snapped from the bored sate, to look at the orange haired girl with angry brown eyes.

"Of course I care! Orihime is my best friend; I'm lost without her, I… I…" Ichigo trailed off. Rangiku looked at the orange haired teen with sad eyes.

"You what?" She asked. There was a paused as Ichigo's head trail down to his lap.

"I love her…" He confessed. Rangiku's eyes soften at the teen's confession.

"About time you realized it." She smiled. Ichigo raised his head slowly to look at the women.

"If she is in Hueco Mundo, I want you to save her, if she is in the Soul Society save her, if she is in Hell save her! Save her with every bone in your body, protect her with every inch of your body, and love her with everything you have." Rangiku said, having a few tears slip from her clear eyes.

"The hero needs to save the princess from the dragon guarded castle, in order to live happily ever after." She smiled before flash stepping out of the teen's dull room, leaving him to her words. There was a long silence before a smile made its way to Ichigo's face.

"Happily ever after, hum? Seems worth it to reuse the princess from the dragon, doesn't it?" He asked himself.

"Thanks Rangiku."

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The moon lit sky of Hueco Mundo was so pretty on this night. The moon didn't reach every part of the lonely desert but the part it did made the gray sand sparkle against its glare.

"Pretty isn't it Human?" Asked a horse shaped Hollow that sat next to a human girl, with long, messy orange hair, pulled into pigtail on the side of her head, with little blue star shaped pins hold her string hair ties tightly in place.

"Indeed it is, Mokoto." She said her high voice in monotone. "But I would appreciate if you and the rest didn't call me human, I have a name." She added. The hollow laughed.

"Of course, sorry, Ori." The orange haired girl looked to the hollow with a small smile, before; she stood up and wiped the sand from her white uniform, and pulled the pure white mask that hung around her neck by a string, to her face, covering it. Her narrow gray hazed eyes looked around through the mask's narrow eye holes. The Hollow next to her looked at her. His mask was more like a Witch doctor mask, the same pure white as hers, but inside of red lines, he had black war paint on his cheeks and down the teeth on his mask.

"Really, we're leaving?" He complained. Ori nodded. He groaned.

"But it's such a pretty night and Las Noches in a few days away; can't we just stay here for the night and leave tomorrow?" He complained.

"I'm only following orders, Mokoto. The king wouldn't be too happy if we didn't get home soon, with the food." She said her voice low.

"I know, I know. Geez why do you have to be so pushy?" He complained.

"Just following orders or do you want to die?" She glared, causing the larger hollow to back off.

As Mokoto left to get the food they had brought with them, Ori was left looking at the night sky alone. It felt as if yesterday that she just got here, and was still crying over the loss of the orange haired soul reaper. But now…. She is with hollows that want her to help them, to heal them, to be comrade in arms. Unlike with her human and soul reaper friends where she was just in the way of everyone. Now Orihime Inoue was gone. She didn't need to exist. Ori is who she is now. She is the military commander of the new King of Hueco Mundo, after gaining the King's trust of course. Yet that was mouths ago, 3 to be exact.

"I don't need them anymore." She said to herself. "I don't need Ichigo to protect me all the time. I don't need them, any of them. And in they even step foot in Hueco Mundo I will kill them and feed them to the Menos Grande!" She laughed.

"Yo, Princess who'ya talkin' to? Mokoto asked returning.

"Nothing, just thinking aloud, let just get moving." She ordered.

"Whatever ya say Ori." He laughed as they marched in the desert of Hueco Mundo haling remains of the hollows they had killed, but within that pail of reminds where two human bodies, with a black uniform opposite of the Ori was wearing, their skinless faces bloody, their eye balls rolled in the back of their heads leaving only white, Ori let Mokoto lead the way as she stared at the bodies. Soul Reapers, an easy kill. Probably not even seated officers, yet they send Soul Reapers without knowing the name of their weapon. What a stupid move.

"Hey Mokoto, after we get to Las Noches, lets dump the hollows in the kitchen, but leave the Soul Reapers." She said.

"Okay, but why?" Ori smirked.

"Because, we'll feed their pathetic bodies to the Menos Grande, in Menos Forest, they're unworthy of being eaten by strong hollows." She said with a hint of laugher in her voice.

"You're sadistic." Mokoto said.

"I'm well aware of that." She said.

* * *

That night Ichigo couldn't sleep, just like all the other night since Orihime went missing 3 mouths ago. Nothing had change Rukia had only said that the Soul Reapers sent two members from squad 10 into Hueco Mundo to search for any unwanted presences, and they will have to wait till they came back.

"Orihime…." He said quietly before letting his mind rest, but his worries grow as he could feel that something just wasn't right.

"Ichigo~" Sang a voice. Ichigo opened his brown eyes to find himself in the familiar desert.

"W-what is this?" He asked himself as he looked around.

"Ichigo~" the voice sang again.

"Who's there?" He yelled back at the singing voice.

"Oh Ichigo, don't you remember my voice~" the voice sang again. Ichigo felt his eyes open wide.

"Orihime?" He questioned, only getting an echoed giggle.

"Orihime? Is that you?" He asked again, feeling the scene move to another part of Hueco Mundo, in which there was an orange haired girl standing in the middle of the desert.

"Orihime!" Ichigo yelled running through the sand to the girl. But once he got close to the girl he noticed blood around her.

"Ichigo… so glad you could join me~" She laughed, turning her face to his. His eyes screamed as her face was clear. A pure white mask was pasted on her once caring face, and her once wide and happy eyes were narrow and crazed.

"O-Orihime… what happened to you?" He asked. She only giggled.

"Oops, looks like I made a mess… but isn't it such a pretty color Ichigo? Red. It would look good on you, don't cha think?" She asked raising her bloody hand, and before Ichigo could react she shoved her hand into his chest. She pulled her hand out making blood gush everywhere.

"See, a pretty color indeed~" She sang. Ichigo couldn't breath, the pain was too much, not only physically but emotionally as well.

"Ori-Orihime… W-What hap-pend to y-you?" He asked. And as his vision faded into black he heard a simple answer.

"You."

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**SweetTart**: So what'cha think? Was the time skips to large? If so tell me and I'll try to make the a bit closer together~ But anyway, there is chapter 2~ did ya like it? Oh! And if you still want this to continue to the end, keep reviewing so I have motivation to keep writing. And I'll update every Sunday

See ya Next Chapter ^^ Gute Nacht :D


	3. Chapter 3

**SweetTart:** Herro again! Welcome to the 3rd Chapter of Once My Princess! Thanks so much for reading it, it means a lot to me! So i hope you enjoy this chapter! Its a little longer then the others so be ready!

**DISCLAIMER:** SweetTart doesn't own _Bleach_, doesn't need to, to write a fanfiction~~~

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Ichigo woke from the dream with a cold sweat running down his face. He was sitting up right with his hand where Orihime had pierced him. His scared and surprised brown eyes soften.

"Orihime…" He whispered quietly. He couldn't take this pain anymore, He had to get her back, he promised to protect her no matter what, yet he let her slip off his radar for a minute and she was gone again. Ichigo looked at the time, 5:37 a.m. The orange haired boy did nothing but laid back down on his pillows in deep thought. The biggest question was how. How would he get to Hueco Mundo? Mr. Hat and Clogs had got him there the first time and The Captain of Squad 12 got him back, but he really didn't want to talk to either of them. There was really no way for him to get to the hollow world. But then an idea hit him. Hollow's travel to and from Hueco Mundo and the World of the Living, so why couldn't he just jump through a Garganta a Hollow made for it closed!

"Brilliant!" Ichigo whispered loudly. His plan was full proof; just all he needed to do was wait for a hollow. Then he could save her.

* * *

She stood next to the throne that once belonged to Aizen in silence. An Arrancar sat in the white throne. His mask was little to be seen, just a head piece that outlined his jaw and eyes, it was pure white, such as her mask and the other hollows that stood below that white throne, all sitting at the table once occupied by the Espada. The Arrancar looked around at his men with a small smile, and then looked to Ori.

"You did well; I have never seen such a fest in a while." He said kindly.

"I only life to serve my King, I'm glad you like the food we had brought back." She said bowing to her king.

"Nonsense Human, you're family now, though not until you're turned into a hollow or an Arrancar, most of our little family won't accept you." He said with a smile returning his gaze to his family.

"Gentleman, today we're blessed with a great fest, thanks to Ori and Mokoto. Eat; think of this as a reward for keeping not only Hueco Mundo safe but Las Noches as well." He announced, praising the members below him. The hollows below yelp and roared in happiness as they dived into their food before them. Ori just watched as her family ate their kind with monstrous bites, she winced at the blood that dripped down many of the hollows masks. The king noticed that she was uncomfortable around her eating brethren.

"Ori." He said getting her attention. She looked to her king.

"Yes my Lord?"

"I hope you got rid of those Soul Reapers that entered." Ori went silent for a moment.

"Of course, my Lord, they were died as fast as they came to Hueco Mundo." She said smiling behind her mask.

"Good, I want you to patrol, around Hueco Mundo once more, just to make sure more didn't come back to help their friends." Ori nodded and walked down the steps of the throne and down the hall behind it. The inside of the white castle was just as she remembered, not much, a few pillars here and there, maybe a window when you got closer to the top of the palace, but other then that it was a sandy gray everywhere. The walls the floors, even the ceiling was pasted with the boring gray. But she didn't complain, she wasn't really ever wondering the halls of the palace, she was mostly walking about the dark and moon lit sky of the hollow's world. Ori continued her long walk to the end of the palace walls, where she would walk up the green stairs till the top.

* * *

Ichigo was dressed in his Soul Reaper outfit with Zangetsu firmly placed on his back, wrapped in its white cloth. He couldn't wait till he got word back from Rukia, it would take too long and she was already missing for 5 mouths, she's been waiting to long, and this time he was going to save her and keep her close. Ichigo waited as the long snake like body of a hollow flowed into the World through its black portal, when its tail made it out Ichigo took his chance and flew into the portal remembering to use his powers to make a steady path, just like before his path wasn't as stable as he would like it to be. Ichigo looked ahead in the pitch black of the portal with determination flaring in his brown honey eyes. This rescue would not fail again. He would swear to that.

* * *

"What do you mean, he's not here?!" Rukia yelled at the blond haired shopkeeper.

"That's exactly what I mean; I haven't seen Ichigo since the War, why would you think he would come here?" He asked fixing his green and white stripped hat so it covered his gray eyes. Rukia didn't understand, she was sure that Ichigo would get impatient when he didn't received word on Orihime, so he would had gone to Hueco Mundo himself, but… wouldn't he have gone to Urahara in order to get the dark world? This just doesn't make any sense.

"I don't know how he did it, but it seems he have doubted Ichigo's intelligence, seeing that he found a way to get to Hueco Mundo without my help or yours. He really is an interesting kid." Urahara smiled.

"How…"

"Ichigo's spiritual pressure was just filling with saddens and guilt, I could feel it from the Soul Society. It was obvious that something happened to our little busty princess." He smiled waving his fan in front of his face. Rukia felt a vain pop. He was always a step in front of her, it was annoying.

"Well, as you know, Orihime went missing a few mouths ago, then the two Soul Reapers that were sent to search Hueco Mundo are confirmed dead. I came here not only to ask if Ichigo had been here, but what you think kidnapped Orihime and brought her to Hueco Mundo again." Rukia said. Urahara nodded.

"Yes, I do know of your situation. But you sure you want to here what I think happened to the little princess?" He said getting serious. Rukia felt a pinch that what he was about to say wasn't something she wanted to here, but she nodded any.

"Oh right then. In my observation over the course of the mouths before Orihime's disappearance, I came upon a possibility, that Orihime was indeed changed from her capture under Aizen." He started.

'What do you mean?"

"I mean, that whatever Aizen was playing at with Orihime worked. She was just pushing it back." He said.

"So you're saying that Orihime went to Hueco Mundo of her own free will?" Rukia yelled. "That's preposterous, Orihime would never do that!"

"Indeed she wouldn't, so I believe that there was a trigger that activated her need to be in Hueco Mundo, an emotional trigger." He stated. Rukia thought on what he had said.

"Did Orihime get in a fight with any of her friends? With Ichigo?" He asked. Rukia shook her head.

"Not that I know of, actually, I don't think they talked all the much, only when she and Ichigo would walk to and from School and at lunch." She said. Urahara thought.

"Then the trigger must have happened when nobody noticed her, like she saw something she didn't want to see." He said as the thought came across his mind.

"Does Ichigo have any lady friends or weird stalkers?"

"I don't think so, other then the friends he and Orihime share, I have no idea." She stopped to think. "Why do these questions revolve around Ichigo?" She asked, Urahara laughed and fanned himself.

"Because, as you noticed, Orihime has a thing for our little strawberry, so we he was upset so was she, when he was happy so was she. Get what I'm saying. I believe the trigger was if Orihime had seen Ichigo being friendly with another girl." Urahara explained with a smile across his pale face. "Young love, ain't it a bitch." Said a deep male voice, bring Urahara out of his happy state.

"Yoruichi!" he smiled and pick up the black cat that had just recently fell to the ground lading gracefully on her feet.

"How's my little kitty~" He sang, the black hissed and scratched his face making the man drop the cat.

"Don't call me that Kisuke." She hissed. Urahara dramatically acted hurt.

"You could have just told me that. No need to rip my face off." He said letting a fake tear slid down his face.

"Anyway, what brings you here?"

"News. From the Soul Society. I wanted to tell Ichigo but it seems that body doesn't understand the meaning of wait." She sighed.

"What kind of news Lady Yoruichi?" Rukia asked. The black cat looked at Rukia with its yellow eyes, filled of sadness.

"They have detected an unwanted human presence within the walls of Las Noches. They can not identify the spiritual pressure, but some captains and lieutenants, such as Captain Ukitake and lieutenant Matsumoto believe its Orihime Inoue. They'll be sending Squad 6 Captain and lieutenant to investigate it." The cat explained.

"What happens if it is Orihime? What will they do?" Rukia asked scared to find the answer. The cat hesitated, taking a deep breath before answering the question.

"They will deem her as a traitor and kill her on the spot." Yoruichi said. Rukia didn't find it surprising but it was still hard to get it down. The Soul Society already thought Orihime was a traitor, now this will show them they were right.

* * *

Ichigo flew from the black hole and onto the desert's sands. Just as barren as can be, all sand and a few dead trees. The eternal night sky with the moon's light as its only friend such a lonely place for the most of heartbroken of souls. Ichigo looked around, he didn't know how far he was but, Las Noches was the first thing that caught his eyes, yet it was a blurry picture, it was big enough for its walls to be seen from miles away. Ichigo sighed; this was going to be a long, LONG, run. To save time Ichigo started by flash stepping his way as far as he could, he did this until he was out of breath.

"This is hopeless I'm to far away it will take me at least a mouth to get there, maybe a few weeks if I flash step." Ichigo groaned. He needed a plan. It's possible that hollows have made Las Noches their home, so he would expect there to be lots of hollows inside, finding Orihime might take a bit. Ichigo stood against a green-ish looking rock to catch the breath he had lost.

"Damn, why is this so much more difficult then when we rescued he the first time?" He asked himself. Maybe it was because he wasn't alone, he had Uryu and Chad, then Rukia and Renji joined later. Ichigo was so far into thought he didn't notice the person stepping behind him.

Ori was miles away from her home when she felt a strange presence, yet it was so familiar to her. It made her skin crawled and her heart flutters. There was only one person who could do this to her body. Ichigo… Kurosaki. She cracked a smile behind her mask and ran into the direction of the male.

"Ichigo… Kurosaki."

When the feeling was close she noticed a pile of rough orange and black robes leaning against a rock. The smile behind her mask widen it the corner her face, ear to ear.

It seems as if the boy hadn't noticed her just yet. Excellent.

"Koten Zanshun…" She said quietly, as the yellow sprite flew out of one of her pins, she lifted her hand to the sprite as it wrapped around her hand, spinning around like a drill.

"I reject." She said throwing herself to the rock stabbing the rock, smashing it into pieces. And as it would seem, the orange haired soul reaper, was looking straight at her, his sword drawn, in a battle position.

Ichigo looked over the hollow. She was a human sized, so either she was a Vasto Lorde or an Arrancar, either one wasn't going to be easy to defeat. Her mask was pure white with nothing but eye holes which had red strips going down them stopping with a red dot. The hollow had long orange-red hair, which was pulled in twin pigtails on each side of her head. Her outfit match something every similar to the 4th Espada Ulquiorra, but it was only zipped from the start of her chest to the middle of her torso, reveling most of her stomach. Ichigo, though he'd never admit it, thought the hollow looked attractive. But the thought was wiped from his mind after convincing himself she was the enemy.

"Who are you?" The orange haired boy asked. The hollow didn't respond but just looked into Ichigo's brown honey eyes.

"Hey! I asked you a question!" Ichigo yelled. There was silence until the hollow started to laugh. But until most hollow's voices, her voice wasn't altered with a more evil sound. It sounded human. Ichigo eyed the female hollow with suspicious eyes.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Ichigo yelled, getting slightly annoyed by the lack of cooperation from the hollow.

"I'm looking for someone." He said calmly, the hollows laughed died down as Ichigo said his last sentence.

"Oh, are you now?" She said with a hint of amusement in her familiar voice.

"Yes, her name is Orihime Inoue." Ichigo stated.

"You mean, that human girl Aizen took a liking too?" She asked playfully.

"Ya…"

"Haven't seen her, but, if she had come here she was likely killed." She laughed. Ichigo gripped the hilt of Zangetsu harder with the words 'Orihime' and 'killed' in the same sentence.

"What is that supposed to mean!" Ichigo yelled.

"She's dead, turned into a hollow, eaten by a hollow; really the list could go on. So why don't you go back and-"

"I'm not leaving without Orihime." He said, determination burning in his eyes. The hollow glared at the human.

"Fine then, I gave you a warning to get out but it seems you want to die." She said raising her hand.

"Koten Zanshun!" She yelled having the sprite appear around her hand. She leaped to Ichigo, intending to hit him, but missed and slammed her hand into the ground, making the sand create smoke.

"Getsuga Tenshō!" Ichigo yelled using the sand as a prefect sneak attack.

"Too slow! Santen Kesshun!" She yelled having three more sprites flash from her pins to make a triangle shield. Ichigo felt him self stop from his next attack.

'_Santen Kesshun… that's Orihime's move. Then that must mean…'_ Ichigo thought as rage fill his blood making him gripped his sword harder.

The dust cleared and the hollow was standing behind a yellow shield. Ichigo didn't realize what his body was doing it had already happened, he flash stepped behind the hollow and made to slash her, but she was able to dodge his attack, but not suffering from a cut arm.

"Looks like you've gotten serious… Ichigo Kurosaki." She smiles behind her mask. Oh how much fun she was having messing with the orange haired boys head.

"Koten-"

"Getsuga-" They said at the same time.

"Zanshun!"

"Tenshō!" There was a blue slash from Ichigo's sword, filled with anger and grief, while the hollow's was a bright yellow, which was barely enough to hold back the power of the Soul Reaper's attack.

"Shit!" She cursed as she failed to put up her shield in time. The blue slash threw her across the sand, landing with a thud. Her right side was bleeding and most of her uniform was ripped away, her left pigtail had come undone and right side of her mask was broken off, showing her closed eye, with blood running over her lid,.

Ichigo flash stepped to the hollow that lay on the sandy floor. He held his sword to her neck, ready to cut her head off. He was so angry too much for him to handle without turning into a monster.

"You killed Orihime… you took her power. You deserved to die in the most painful way possible!" Ichigo yelled. The laughing hollow made Ichigo stop his blade. The hollow opened her eye, to revel a beautiful hazed gray eyes. Ichigo's yes opened as wide as they could, his moth hung open.

"You think a hollow killed that princess~" She laughed sitting up as Ichigo back away.

"No… no... That can't be right."

"You're so stupid Kurosaki! Or would you rather me call you Ichigo?" She laughed.

"NO! You can't be her. Orihime is sweet and kind. She would never kill or hurt anyone!" Ichigo yelled clenching Zangetsu.

"Oh, but I am. Orihime Inoue's spirit my not exist but her body does. Orihime doesn't exist anymore! She stopped existing after she was brought her the first time. I am all that's left. Ori." She laughed. Ichigo couldn't move or breath, not only did he attack her, but she also attacked him. That couldn't be right. This couldn't be real.

Ichigo was freaking out as Ori smirked.

"You can't believe it can you Ichigo~? You want to know why or who. You want to know where the Orihime went don't you." She tempted him. She looked behind her with a large smile. Ichigo was in so much shock he didn't notice the hollow fast approaching him.

"I can tell you how did it, who made Orihime come to this decision, you wanna know don't you?" She teased standing up and dusting off her cloths. She walked up to his shocked face with a smile and place her hand gently on his shoulder, and pressed her lips to his eyes in a low whisper she said.

"You did this." Ichigo dropped to his knees and a hard object came in contact with his head, knocking him out.

Ori sighed at the unconscious human laying face first in the gray sand. She looked to the newly arrived hollow.

"Good timing Mokoto." She smiled. The hollow looked at the girl with a sad face.

"You shouldn't have gone alone; I could have come with you!" Mokoto yelled.

"I am quite capable of handling a Soul Reaper by myself." She responded. Mokoto rolled his eyes.

"Ya, that's why you're covered in blood and your cloths a ripped and mask broken."

"He caught me off guard, not much; I can fix it once we get back to Las Noches." She said. She began to walk toward to the palace,

"What about the Soul Reaper?" Mokoto asked, looked down at his lifeless form. "Should we leave him?"

"Take him with us. The king will decide what to do with him from there."

"But-"

"He's very strong, the King may have use for him, if not we'll feed him to the family." She said as she walked. Mokoto groaned as he rolled the Soul Reaper over her head and onto his back where to ran back to catch up with Ori. Las Noches was closer then most could tell, it was just the sand that mad it look father away, within a little less then an hour they hit the walls of the palace. Ori grinned. This would be fun.

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_Ichigo_

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**SweetTart:** Herro again~ I hoped you liked this chapter, I'm not really good at writing fight senses, mostly because i find them boring to read about... I read fanfictions because I want to feel my heart bring ripped out with all the drama and sadness~~ But hey whatevs, Please review~! i need motivation here bros~


	4. Chapter 4

**SweetTart:** Hey Guys! Thanks so much for reading this far!... I did have someone tell me that it purely wasn't in Orihime's nature to hurt Ichigo or anyone for that matter... Which is true indeed, but hey Love makes people do crazy things am i right :{), But thanks anyway for those who are still reading, next chapter might be the last so keep reading :D

* * *

Ichigo didn't move. He was almost paralyzed with shock and hurt. He attacked Orihime… he made her bleed. He caused it to happen. Yet she hadn't landed a single hit on him, almost as if she missed on propose. As if she didn't want to hurt him. As… As if she was working and living off internal instinct… he knew what that felt like, having nothing but raw and insane instinct that his hollow claimed to be. Ichigo shook the thought from his mind. Orihime had no raw battle instinct; she wasn't built for battle, so she would have no use for them. Yet she had deflected against his Getsuga Tensho better then he would have thought. She was moving fast as if she was experienced with battle, such as himself or Chad. She… she wasn't Orihime Ichigo remembered. Orihime was gentle and caring like a mother. She was always working to make him smile, just as she always worked to protect her. Yet he let this happen. The look in her eyes when he saw her was a depressing cold void, as if she was a soulless vassal. What happened to her, to his precious Orihime?

'_You'_

Ichigo felt himself slightly flinch at the dream. Had he really been the one who change Orihime into this 'Ori' person?

After Ichigo was brought to his cell within the walls of Las Noches but Mokoto only to have Ori leave the orange haired soul reaper to Mokoto, watching him until he woke up. So a pissed Mokoto leaded against the wall in front of the cell of the Soul Reaper. He looked at is sleeping form with confused anger. Ori hadn't laid a scratch on the orange hair teen, and even though her face read irritation and anger, her body had treated the boy with such kindness he's never seen coming from the girl. She was always a brutal and curl human, only healing either her or the King, if needed, but once she thought he had left, and she was only with the boy she healed the few bruises on his body. But even though the Kind had no problem with him staying here under the watch of Ori, he couldn't help but feel that the King was playing favorites. He just didn't understand Ori at all. Either she is a mindless servant to the king or she's a kickass motherfucker that can destroy anything in her path. But the side he's seen just doesn't make sense.

"I don't get it…" He said to himself. "Ori could have taking the Soul Reaper out with no problem, then why?" He stopped. "Then why did she hesitate? Why didn't she kill him while she had the chance? I just don't get it." He said, it wasn't till he heard a slight groan come form the inside the cell. Mokoto sighed as he turned his head to see that the soul reaper was moving around before he jumped into a sitting position.

"Hey sleepy head…" Mokoto said with little emotion in his voice. Ichigo turned his head rapidly to see the hollow, his brown eyes widen.

"It wasn't a nightmare was it?" I said quietly to himself, not expecting the hollow to hear him.

"Nope." Mokoto said. "Welcome to Las Noches, and whatever. But it's not like your going be here long." Mokoto prayed. "But anyway make sure you keep quite, if anyone feeling your spiritual pressure, Ori's ass is fucked." Mokoto said monotone as ever. Ichigo didn't say anything but after the shock in his eyes vanished, it was replaced with fury. He flash stepped to the cells end, gripping the bars till his knuckles were white.

"What did you fuckers do to Orihime!" he growled at the hollow, ignoring everything the hollow had told him before hearing Ori's name. Mokoto stared at the angry soul reaper with confusion.

"Who's Orihime?"

"Cut the crap! You know exactly who I'm talking about!" He yelled, his voice reaching a dangerous low tone as black and red spiritual pressure poured from the boy.

"Where is she?" He yelled. Mokoto was growing tired of his inpatient attitude, he was half tempted to kill him, buy he knew that was a bad idea.

"Calm yourself Soul Reaper; Ori will know you're awake."

Just as Mokoto had said the words the pigtailed human girl walked into the cell room, her mask completely fixed as well as her cloths.

"I told you to tell me when he was to wake up." She said glaring at the hollow. Mokoto shook in fear.

"S-s-sorry M-ma'am…" He gulped. Ori put her attention back on Ichigo, she smiled under her mask, she doesn't now why, but seeing his face makes her heart pound. Every time she sees his face, she can feel her own face heat up. Yet the reason why she was here was because of him, but she can't forget her feelings for him, her soul might not remember him, but her body does, maybe that's why she couldn't attack the boy with all her heart, she couldn't kill him like the other hollows and soul reapers she has kill. Maybe, just maybe… Orihime was still there.

"It doesn't matter; the King wants you and the others to protect the walls outside." She said. Mokoto looked at her with a funny look.

"Hm? But why?'

"Because… A Captain and Lieutenant from the 13 Court Guard Squads have come to pay us a little visit." She said, Mokoto sighed and reluctantly walked down the cell hall until he was no longer inside the monstrous castle. Leaving the two to them to themselves. It was a long awkward silence. Until Ichigo gulped and opened his mouth as if to say something, but quickly closed it as soon as it opened. He didn't know what to say to the girl before him. He had so much to ask, he had so much to say and apologize for, yet he couldn't put it in words. Ori on the other hand, just stood with her eyes covered by the mask making it hard to read her emotions. But under the mask Ori was just as nervous as Ichigo. Her face was flushed a bit and her heart was pounding, as the two held a staring contest. Ichigo was the only one brave enough to back the silence.

"Ori-hime…" Ichigo said looking to the masked girl. Ori said nothing but looked at the boy through her narrow eye holes. She sighed and reached behind her head to where her string that tied the mask to her face was held, she felt for the fabric used and untied it. The mask slipped from her face to her awaiting hand that caught it before it hit the ground below. Ichigo's eyes widen as his breath caught in his throat. Orihime looked just had he had last seen her. Her face was just as pale and flawless, her lips as pink as they were. But her eyes where narrow and hazed; they lost all the happiness that was once in them. They were now cold and almost lifeless, but still alive.

"Orihime..." He said quietly. Ori still said nothing. "I'm sorry…" He said sadness clearly in his voice. Ori gave him a confused look.

"What?" She asked.

"I'm sorry; I didn't save you from Aizen after all. I always thought you were happy as if you forgot what had happened here. But I was wrong." Ichigo said. Ori smiled a bit.

"You really are a hopeless case Kurosaki…"Ori laughed. "Do you think saying your sorry will fix anything? I thought I told you Orihime is-"

"She's not gone." Ichigo yelled, interrupting her. The outburst caught Ori off guard. "She isn't gone… if she was then why didn't you kill me! That hollow friend of yours was talking to himself… even he noticed how you didn't kill me on the spot!" Ichigo said, his voice slowly getting softer as his rant went on. Ori say nothing.

"I'm getting you back to normal Orihime! I know you in there! Listen to me, I will get you out no matter what, I will save you from your dragon guarded castle." Ichigo said with determination in his voice as his grip on his cell's bars loosened. Ori looked at the boy, with her gray eyes with amusement.

"Dragon guarded castle?" She smiled, before looking down at the mask in her hand. Her smile was demonic as raised to place mask back on her face, but was stopped.

'_Don't hurt him… don't hurt Ichigo!'_

Ori's eyes snapped open, from the droopy state they were in. Her eyes scanned the area trying to tell herself that the voice came from somewhere else.

'_Don't hurt him!'_

"Damnit all…" She cursed letting her mask drop from her hand as her she smacked her hand to her face. The Mask landed with a soft 'clank' as if glasses was hit making a nice dig echo throughout the empty halls.

"Orihime…" He said in worry.

"Shut up!" Ori yelled. "Shut your mouth. You out of all people should never give her false hope, its hurts me when she cries." She said with a glare. "Stop playing her heart!" Ori yelled picking her mask from the ground and walking out of the cell room.

Ichigo just watched as the scene played out.

"False hope? Playing with her heart?" Ichigo repeated to himself. What did she mean by that?

Ori felt a pinch in her heart as she raced through the halls of the white palace. False hope… something that man had given her to many times. Walking her home, saving her from Aizen, being her friend, he acted as if he really card for the orange-red headed girl, making her think she had a chance, but… but. Ori slammed her fist against a wall.

"Damnit all…" She said as she felt fresh tears fall from her eyes. She didn't like this feeling. This feeling that Ichigo made her feel. She felt weak and helpless, wait and wanting for him to come and save her form her castle. But the dragon will not allow the princess to get away so easily, not without a fight she knew she'd win.

* * *

While outside of the palace Renji and Byakuya looked around them, completely surrounded. The tan sand made small dust clouds around the males feet as they skipped around the sand with incredible seed, too quick for the eye to catch. But soon they were put to a stop, backing into each others backs preparing to fight. Renji drew his sword and held it tightly in front of him. His black eyes glanced from side to side. Completely surrounded.

"Well fuck…" Renji cursed as he held his sword tightly.

"Calm yourself Renji; we're not here to start another war." Byakuya said calmly, his sword not even drawn.

"Soul Reapers! What do you want?" A hollow yelled as he growled at the intruders. Byakuya gave the hollow an emotionless look as a sigh left his lips.

"We are here looking for the Human, Orihime Inoue."

Mokoto among the crowd of angry hollows groaned in frustration.

"You and that orange haired Strawberry both. Just go away Ori is staying with us regardless what you want!" Mokoto yelled charging a ceros at the Soul Reapers; this triggered other hollows to follow him as they all began to charge cero .

"Rot in hell, Soul Reapers!" Mokoto yelled firing the cero as the red flash engulfed the area around them.

* * *

"_I attacked him… my body attack the man I swore I'd never hurt. He came for me, and I attacked him…"_

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_Ichigo_

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_Forgive me_

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'Orihime'

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Forgive me

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**SweetTart:** Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Make sure you review i would really like that, you guys are pooper scooping AMAZING!Till next Sunday~ I give you this smiley face with a mustache :{3


	5. Chapter 5

**SweetTart:** Hey guys and welcome back to the second last chapter of Once My Princess! I really enjoyed making this chapter, it was a lot of fun, so enjoy :3

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Ori raced to the outside of the palace as a large explosion came from the gate in which she had sent Mokoto to guard. Figures, they're not low ranking Soul Reapers like the others. They would be harder to kill, but fun none the less. Ori smiled and wicked smile as she slipped her mask on, sliding it into place.

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'_Don't hurt them…'_

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'_Please stop!'_

The dust began to settle as two figures walking slowly from their fight, unharmed. Renji and Byakuya slide their swords back into the sheaths making a small 'sling' sound. Renji eyed the large building, it was the same way they had left it back then, a few creators in the palace's great white walls here and there, but nothing seemed different. Officially they were sent here to find and kill Orihime Inoue, but as Rukia had told him before he left, Orihime wasn't herself, as if Aizen's hold on her wasn't completely gone. Renji almost felt sorry for her, the Head Captain forgave her actions because he was just happy Aizen was dead, but he will not forgive her so easily now, not after she is suspected of killing 4 low ranked Soul Reapers. Renji walked slowly behind his black haired noble captain, lost in his thoughts.

"Hey, Soul Reapers~" A voice called playfully. "Koten Zanshun~" The girl launched herself at the two, a yellow sprite fly around her hand as she aimed to hit Renji.

Renji quickly drew his sword with a yelled to call his Zanpakuto.

"Growl Zabimaru!"

"Scatter Senbonzakura."

Renji's sword made contact with Ori's hand, making her fly back to avoid any further injury she was sure the red headed soul reaper would place on her. She glared through her mask at the two men.

"Is that…"  
"Yes, that would be Orihime Inoue, even through her Spiritual Pressure is twisted there are still trances of the original remaining." The 6th squad captain stated rather calmly. Ori smirked at the words the captain spoke.

"Man, why is my disappearance causing so much problems, I had to deal with carrot top yesterday know I have you two to deal with, talk about no time off…" Ori laughed. Renji's eyes widened a bit, he frantically looked to his captain, awaiting an order.

"What do we do captain!"

"Stick to the plan. They should be here any minute." Byakuya told his Lieutenant. Renji nodded before leaping to attack Ori. The human girl laughed playfully dodging the red heads attempts to hit her.

Ichigo felt Renji and Byakuya's Spiritual Pressure rise a small moment ago. Ichigo felt so useless, without his Zanpakuto he was nothing. The orange haired boy glanced to the wall that had his sword leaned against.

"Damn…" Ichigo muttered, if only he had took Rukia's offer to learn Kido, then he could get out of this no problem. And save her from her dragon guarded castle.

'That's it!" Ichigo yelled standing from his bed and he gave the bars of he cell a determined look. His honey brown eyes closed as he focused his spiritual energy on breaking the bars. His mind thought back to Orihime before the Aizen thing. How she would always worry about him and heal him no matter how much he told her he'd be fine. She'd use all her energy to protect him and her friends. She took the title as traitor to save her friends, and that's why he loved her. She was nice and would sacrifice herself for anything. Ichigo's anger rose as his mind filled with memories of the girl.

The bars on the cell creaked as the spiritual pressure the orange haired boy gave off crushed them, soon on of the snapped making it echo loudly. The other followed soon after. Ichigo slowly opened his eyes after he felt like her got most of them, he smiled at his work before running out of the cell, grabbing Zangetsu on the wall, before running in the direction of the fight he sensed was going on out side.

Ori huffed out a string of pants as she yet again dodged another on the Renji's attacks from his extending Zanpakuto.

"Damn…" She said looked down at her arm. The fabric was slashed and had red dots that outlined the cuts running down her arm. Ori glared at the soul reaper. Renji just gave the girl a sad look as he raised his sword again, till be felt a soft hand stop him. He looked behind him to see a small black haired, purple eyed girl.

"R-Rukia!" Renji exclaimed. Ori's eyes snapped open at the name.

"R-Rukia… Kuchiki."

Rukia looked up at the girl who called her name. Rukia's had sadness in her usually vibrant eyes.

"Orihime…" She said quietly. Ori let her hand drop to her side and had Tsubaki return to her hair pins. Outside of her mask it looked as if she had no emotion, but under the mask, Ori was filled with rage, a brutal rage that she had put up with, brutal rage that was going to kill the small girl.

"Rukia Kuchiki…" Ori started.

"Orihi-"

"I hate you… I hate all of you. Ichigo, the Soul reapers, the Humans! I hate all of them!" Ori yelled. "It's your fault Orihime Inoue as lost her will to do anything… she lost her world… the reason why she smiled! All because of you and that stupid Carrot Top!" Ori yelled with anger boiling in her voice. Yet Rukia didn't react, she just watched as Ori yelled at her.

"Say something! You stupid Soul Reaper! Say something before I kill you!" Ori screamed.

"Koten Zanshun!" She yelled, but instead of the spirited circling around her hand, it made itself into a spear like thing, with two sharp ends. Ori's Spiritual pressure rose as the weapon in her hand buzzed and hummed.

"Die!" Ori yelled running with amazing speed to the girl, both Renji and Byakuya raised their swords to protect her.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

"Santen Kesshun!"

Dust of the sand spread in different areas as a black and red wall stopped Ori's attack on the black haired girl, separating her from the other three as well. Ori looked at the wall before in completely rage.

"Kurosaki!" She yelled just as Ichigo flew down from above the wall of his attack. Ori, Under her blind rage flung her spear at the boy floating above the wall.

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'_No…'_

There was a very distinctive sound that everyone knew what had happened.

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'_No.'_

Ichigo didn't move from the incoming attack… His chest pushed out as if to catch the girls rage.

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'_Please, Ichigo Please!'_

His sword not even drawn, for protection.

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'_Ichigo…'_

Ichigo didn't move for a few seconds, but then as his wall dropped so did his body from the gray, moonlit sky of Hueco Mundo.

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'_Not again…'_

He fell for at least thirty seconds, and as his body slammed against the ground dust scattered from under and around him, in tan clouds.

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'_Please… not again'_

His body didn't move.

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'_I can't lose you again.'_

Ori's hand dropped as her rage vanished in an instant. Her mind drawing a blank as the scene switched to a very familiar one, Ichigo hanging by nothing but a black demonic tail of forest green eyes. His honey brown eyes hazed and lifeless and his uniform was barely there and a empty black creator in his tanned muscular chest. He fell. Her eyes wide and full of fear for his life, her gray eyes filled with tears as she called to him.

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'_Ichigo…!'_

He didn't say anything, didn't move an inch.

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'_Help me please…'_

Her heart wept for her lose, her eye sight was burry with a tears of sorrow that fall down her angle like face.

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"_Ichigo please…'_

She cried and cried for his help like a lost kitten. Her skin crawled at his lifeless eyes; her sobs grew louder at the look of the hole in his chest.

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'_Why…'_

Ori dropped to her knees. Hands shaking.

"Ichigo!"

"Ichigo!"

His friends called for him. Rukia and Renji running to his body. Ori's hand came to her head and gripped the mask tightly.

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'_No…'_

Her griped tighten. The princess was weeping again. Her heart was broken before her eyes. Behind her mask tears flowed freely from her eyes and to the ground below her mask.

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'_It can't be…'_

'_Ichigo…'_

'_Ichigo.'_

'_Ichigo!'_

"Ichigo!" Ori yelled, causing the two soul reapers to turn from their friend's body to the human girl calling his name. A yellow light surrounded her body, a color very similar to one that created her infamous shield.

"Soten Kisshun!" Ori yelled as two sprites flew from her pins to Ichigo's limp body, creating a yellow cocoon around the orange haired boy. Rukia looked at Orihime with hope blazing in her once saddened eyes. She looked to Renji. Nodding at him, signaling it was time. Renji swiftly nodded back and flash stepped to the crying girl.

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'_I did this…'_

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'_Why did I do this…?'_

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'_Why am I so weak…?'_

Renji appeared behind the girl, swiftly pulling the string that tied her mask, making the mask fall to the sand with a dull filtered thud. Orihime's face was shown to her friends. Her eyes closed shut and tears leaking from them, her face flushed and her cheeks red. The sight was heartbreaking. To see such a happy-go-lucky person, reduced to such tears and sobs. And as it would be while her sobs were filtered through her mask, without it her cries could be heard from miles.

Ichigo felt his finger twitch. This warm glow and feeling, it was all too familiar.

"Orihime…" Ichigo muttered. Her cries filled his ears, breaking his heart. He didn't want her to cry anymore. He promised to protect her at all costs. Taking her spear was nothing compared to what other pain he has gone through. He felt the rest of his body return from the numbness before to the point where he could move. He pushed himself up, the blood from the wound he had received was completely gone.

"Better go get your princess while the dragon is down.' Rukia said to the, now awake Ichigo.

The orange haired boy nodded, and stood to his feet breaking the cocoon. He looked to the girl on her knees in the tan sand, tears rolling down her pale, flawless face. Ichigo gave a deep breath in before flash stepping to the crying girl.

He wrapped his arms around her thin form, causing the girl to jump at the sudden warmth. Her eyes slowly open, to meet a black clothed chest and the sent of almonds and cinnamon. His sent.

"It's okay Orihime… I'm here now." Ichigo whispered quietly into the girl's hair. The girl tensed.

"Ichigo?" She said quietly. Her once lower and brutal voice she had was no longer hearable; it was back to the high pitch loving, calming sound he fell for.

"Orihime." He said pulling away to see her face. Her hazed narrow eyes formed back into their natural big kind eyes. Yet they where filled with tears. Ichigo gave the crying girl a small smile before planting a kiss on her forehead. A small squeak came from the girl and her face flushed brightly. Ichigo looked into Orihime's Gray crystal eyes with his honey brown ones with happiness and relief.

"Ichigo… I.." Orihime started but was stopped by Ichigo.

"Shh. Let me talk first." Ichigo insisted, when no protest came from the girl Ichigo continued. "I'm sorry, Orihime. I didn't save you. I let you fall into the hands of the enemy and took too long to save you. You saw so many things, things to give you nightmares." Ichigo stopped to look at the girl. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you in time. And look how well I protected you this time. Yet again I let you slip through my fingers over my own insecurities. I let you think something that wasn't true. I'm supposed to be the hero that rescues you from the dragon, but I never once thought that the dragon would take on the form of your own feelings and fears." Ichigo stopped to notice that Orihime's eyes were wide open with tears slowly falling from them. Ichigo laughed a bit and pulled his hand to crease her face wiping her tears from her eyes with his thumb." I guess I was too caught up with protecting you physically, I didn't protect you mentally and I'm sorry for that. It's a mistake I will never make again, because you, Orihime mean the world to me. And as cheesy as it sounds you're the center of my attention. I would drop everything if you wanted something. You're my light in the dark. I never thought I would feel this way after my mom died but. Orihime I love you! I love you with all my heart." Ichigo said his voice getting louder. Orihime was speechless. After all these years… She had always liked Ichigo, even before Rukia and the Soul Reaper thing. After all these years, she waited for this moment, but now that it happened she didn't now what to say.

"Ichigo…" She started but before she could continue she felt a pain go through her stomach. Looking down, she saw her own blood coming from her torso, the blood seeping into her white cloths.

"Orihime…" Ichigo followed her eyed to her stomach. His eyes widened as he saw the blood from her cloths.

"Ichigo! Look out!" Ichigo heard Rukia call. Ichigo picked Orihime up and jumped from the on coming attack. The attacker was familiar yet not.

"O...R...I~~ ShE dOEsn'T BEloNg tO YoU!" I demonic voice roared. Ichigo looked back down at Orihime to see her eyes half-lidded. Her breaths came out in pants as she held a loose grip on Ichigo's Bankai uniform.

"I-chi-go." She said panting in between letters.

"Sh, don't say anything. You have to save your energy." Ichigo said as calmly as he could.

"I-Ichigo… I l-love yo-you t-too." She said weakly before her eye lids shut closed. Ichigo panicked. He called her name, he called and called her name over and over again.

"ORIHIME!"

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**SweetTart:** Ohhhhhhhhhhh~ Cliff hanger bros~~~~~ But hey wanna fin out what happens next? Well the last chapter of OMP is in the making and will probably be out earlier then usual... like Wednesday or Thursday, so stay tuned, and review please! It would be much appreciated! Say ya next time ^3^


	6. Chapter 6

**SweetTart:** Hey Guys and welcome to the last chapter of Once My Princess thank you all for following this story to the every end it means a lot to me, so here ya for the last chapter of Once My Princess...Enjoy XD

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Ichigo felt as if his world was crashing all around him. He has never felt this horrible since the death of his mom, like this pain the Orihime was cause was his fault. He shook violently as he held Orihime's body in his arms only hoping that she wasn't what he thought she was.

"Ori…" The voice roared again. Out of smoke came a familiar mask, but cracked on the right side of the face. Ichigo knew the mask. Mokoto emerged from the dust glaring his red eyes of rage at Ichigo.

"**KuRoSAki!"** The hollow yelled in anger but before it could say anything more, Renji slashed it with his Zanpakuto. Byakuya, unlike Renji, stood in silence and watched as his subordinate fought with no emotion in her pale gray eyes.

Ichigo on the other hand, didn't give the raging hollow any sort of response. He just stared at the blood seeping through Orihime's white slowly made it way into his veins. He gripped Orihime's body tighter as he fought back his raging hollow instincts. HE would not turn into that monster again. He could still remember the fear that flowed from Orihime's face in the form of tears.

"Ichigo!" Rukia yelled, getting Ichigo's attention. He didn't notice when she got so close to them nor did he notice the hurt look in her eyes as Orihime's blood stained Ichigo's robes.

"I can heal Orihime. You take down that Hollow." Rukia ordered. Ichigo slowly nodded, handing his black haired purple eyed friend Orihime's body Orihime was place softly on the sands and Rukia had begun working on closing her wound he took off to the hollow which had been keep Renji busy.

"Renji! Move!" Ichigo yelled as he drew his sword and placed his left hand to his face, dragging it down making his mask appear in black and red.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo yelled his voice altered from the mask. He swung his sword up over his head bringing it down with a_ 'swish'_. The sword unleashed its power, making a loud _smash_ and _crash_ as the black and red wall of pure anger. But his power was met with another bright ruby red one.

"**KuROsAkI!"** Mokoto yelled firing his cero. But Ichigo didn't give up and continued unleashing his power, trying to over power the strong cero, shouting at he did so.

"Damn you!" Ichigo shouted.

Rukia watched as the orange haired boy fought. The look in his brown eyes was one she had never seen on the boy before. It was heartbroken and almost scared. Rukia looked down at the bleeding girl with worry. Rukia was positive Orihime was going to be fine, physically at least. But seeing that she came here because she wasn't mentally stable, Rukia had no idea how this experience effect her. This thought made purple eyes close in thought as she kept her green healing work its magic to Heal Orihime's wound.

"At least Kisuke was right about one thing." Rukia sad aloud thinking about was the shopkeeper said to her.

_"You see I believe that if Orihime got to the way she was know through a Ichigo related Trigger, then another Ichigo related trigger should get her back." The blond man said with a serious look._

"_I don't understand though, how are we going to make another trigger if we don't even know if Ichigo was the trigger in the first place!" Rukia yelled, causing the shopkeeper to smile._

"_Well, we'll just have to seen then don't we." He laughed._

"_Mr. Urahara!" She said in irritation. "You know something I don't, don't you." She said looking at the smiling shopkeeper. "Tell me." She stated. Kisuke looked up from his hat so that his eyes where visible._

"_You caught me." He laughed, making Rukia frown._

"_Please Mr. Urahara; if it's about Orihime please tell me." Rukia pleaded. He smile on the shopkeepers face vanished as the atmosphere became tense._

_Kisuke sighed before starting._

"_As you know, Orihime went to Hueco Mundo as a prisoner of Aizen. As she told me, Aizen wanted to her because of how closely similar her powers were to the Hogyoku, but Aizen only asked her to use her powers once in front of him. So either he took Orihime to leer Ichigo to Hueco Mundo."_

"_So? What does this have to do with Orihime now?" Rukia asked angrily._

"_I'm getting to that. Well, Orihime as we both now is every kind and good natured." He started. "I believe that being in Hueco Mundo for 3 mouths changed something in her. I don't know if it's something that can be returned to normal but, I can tell you that Orihime has changed, and being in Hueco Mundo did it to her. Know with her weakened mind, there's a chance that whatever changed her will occupy her mind. Kinda like a whole turning into a hollow." Kisuke said using random hand gestures as he talked. Rukia sat in silence letting the information sink in. _

"_But one thing is for certain…" Kisuke started, grabbing the soul reapers attention. "The Soul Society wants her dead, so it's possible that they'll kill Orihime before Ichigo can get to her." Kisuke said sadly. Rukia jumped at the statement. Dead? But they had no right. Everyone knew that she wasn't very mentally stable. Why won't they just leave people alone?_

"_Don't worry; we won't let them kill her. Trust me." Kisuke said, reading the black haired noble's mind with a soft smile. _

_There was a small silence till a senkaimon opened outside to old shop._

"_Looks like our guest are here~" Kisuke sang walking out to greet the soul reapers. Rukia looked to see who these 'guest' were only to have her eyes opened wide in surprise._

"_Renji! Brother!" She yelled walking out to see them. _

"_So they sent you?" Kisuke asked._

"_Indeed." Byakuya answered with no emotion not even passing his sister a glance._

"_Wait, sent you for what?" Rukia asked in fear of what she thought they came for._

"_They sent us to capture Orihime…" Renji said sadly. Rukia's eyes widened, her hands forming into fists._

"_Calm yourself Rukia; we're not going to kill the girl." Byakuya spoke to his sister._

"_W-what?" Rukia stuttered confused. Renji smiled._

"_Orihime is fine, after some major convincing from all the Captains and squad members that knew Orihime well we managed to change the head captains mind. But just barely." Renji said with a smile. Rukia gave a breath of relief. Her friend wasn't on deaths row from the Soul Society that at least made her a little bit more comfortable._

"_Since we are all here, let me explain the plan…" Kisuke said gesturing to inside his shop. The three soul reapers followed without a word. _

Rukia looked at Orihime with apologetic eyes.

"I'm sorry Orihime…"

"T-there's n-not-thing to b-be sor-ry f-for." Orihime said quietly opening one of her gray irises.

"Orihime! Thank god you're okay!" Rukia exclaimed. Orihime gave a weak smile, trying to sit up but was stopped by Rukia's hand.

"No, you're not healed enough to sit up, rest for a bit okay." Rukia said with a clam voice, Orihime just nodded and sat back down.

"Where's Ichigo?" Orihime asked. Valid question just as seeing he pledged his love to her then after she past out wasn't there anymore. Rukia sighed and pointed her thumb to the puffs of smoke and loud crashes.

"He's fighting some raging hollow." Rukia said. "But that not important, let's focus on healing you wound, whatever hit was went pretty deep and…" Rukia trailed off at Orihime sadden glance to the dust.

"Mokoto…" She said quietly, tears finding their way into her gray eyes.

"Mokoto… is that the hollows name?" Rukia asked as she let her head drifted to the dusts. Orihime nodded slightly. Rukia glance at her friend's sad look.

"He loved her… Ori I mean." Orihime said with a slight laugh. This took Rukia by surprise.

"A hollow… in love with a human? I don't think I have ever heard of that happening." Rukia said to herself.

"Ori my have been using by body… but she was no different from a hollow. She was curl and merciless. She killed so many… so many with my hand…" Orihime said as the tears she tried to hold back flushed out from her eyes and down her cheeks.

"I killed so many! I almost killed you and Ichigo!" Orihime shouted.

"That's not true Orihime. Ori did that not you; we would never blame you for hurting us." Rukia smiled as she finished healing her friend. "There all better."

Ichigo fought the raging hollow with all he had but no matter how much power he used the asshole just got back up again.

"**I wOn'T lEt YoU tAkE hEr**!" It yelled firing another cero at him. Ichigo used a Getsuga Tensho to block its force, but was thrown backwards in the process.

"Damn it! Why won't he just drop dead already!"

"Koten Zanshun!" Yelled a familiar voice as a yellow sprite hit the hollow dead on.

"Orihime!" Ichigo yelled as the smoke cleared to reveal an orange-red haired girl with long pigtails, and a sad but determined face.

"Orihime!" Ichigo yelled to her catching her attention.

"OiR!" Yelled the hollows voice as he got up. His body beginning to alter, blood dripping from his dark blue body and his pure white mask, his face was dark and almost non-existent.

"Mokoto…" She said with a sad voice. She took a deep breath before walking to the hollow.

"Wait! Stop Orihime do go near him!" Ichigo yelled as he reached out for her, only to be stopped by Rukia.

"She knows what she's doing. Trust her." Rukia said.

"But-" Ichigo started but Rukia gave him a look that silenced his protests and just turned to the girl with worry in his eyes, gripping his sword tighter.

**"OrI… aRe YoU gOiNg To LeAvE uS?"** Orihime gave him a sad look.

"Ori is dead, you don't need to feel pain anymore. Move on, just like she has. She's waiting for you." Orihime said with a sad smile as tears flowed from the hollows face.

"**OrI…WhY?"**

"Go to her, she's waiting for you, go Mokoto." She said as the hollow gave her a sad look, before that look turned into one of happiness.

"**WaItInG, wAiTiNg FoR mE… tHaNk YoU…" **He said sadly as his body began to crumble into sand till there was nothing left other then his crack mask. Orihime dropped to her knees, her hand tightening around the sand beneath her fingers.

"You're welcome…" She said, her tears falling on the hollow's remains.

"Orihime!" Ichigo yelled running to the fallen girl.

"Ichigo…" She said sadly. Ichigo flinched at her tears and wrapped her in his arms.

"I was so worried… Thank god you're safe." Ichigo said, placing his forehead to hers, causing the bubbly girl to flush bright red. Ichigo smiled, pulling away. As it would seem, Renji and Byakuya already made a safe way back home and where now waiting for the two. Ichigo looked into Orihime's eyes.

"Let's go home…" Ichigo smiled. Orihime's eyes opened wide at the brightness of the smile. She had made him smile. She made him happy. Orihime began to get butterflies in her stomach as Ichigo picked her up into his arms and walk to their friends with the happiest smile anyone has seen Ichigo wear. Orihime pulled on his tattered chest robe, getting his attention.

"What is it Orihime?"

"_I love you, Ichigo."_ Orihime said blushing, looking away from his eyes.

"_I love you too Orihime."_ Ichigo said capturing her chin with his hand, pulling her head up into a soft, gentle kiss. Their lips brushed together, making Orihime tense in his arms, but soon caved into the kiss, wrapping her free arms around the orange haired boys neck.

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**I Was Able To Save The Princess From Her Castle And Get My Happily Ever After **

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_He Saved Me At My Darkest Hour. _

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_**Hello Halcyon Day**_

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**I Love You**

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******SweetTart:** So how did you like it? Thank you so much for following this story! And thank you for reading it as well. I hope you guys like reading it as much as i liked writing it! Please review! I love you guys more than i fat kid loves cake! BYE!


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